Treadmill Love

I may be the only person I know that actually likes the treadmill. Maybe it’s because I never *have* to use it, I *choose* to use it. When my week is going as planned, I’ll take my kids to the gym at 4:00 when the Kids Club opens, just to walk for an hour and watch silly things on Netflix in the peace and quiet.

Maybe that’s why I really do love it.

I have run on bad treadmills – the kinds that give you instant shin splints and make horrible noises. Those are terrible.

I have also run on really nice treadmills – the kinds that make running intervals a breeze and have TVs built in. Those are lovely.

I do have a few tips and tricks up my sleeve to make treadmill running not the worst thing in the world.

Have a Plan for The Treadmill Run

There are a billion and one treadmill workouts on Pinterest. Try one. Or two!

Interval running is great on a treadmill because you can look at the time and the distance and it is all laid out right in front of you.

Have Some Entertainment on the Treadmill

The only hard part about that is if it’s a show that’s slightly racy and you’re at the gym.

Am I the only one that gets uncomfortable with that? Yes? No?

Think About Your Form on the Treadmill

This is a new one for me. Mostly when I’m at the Gym because it is easier to look in a mirror while I’m running.

I focus a lot of how I am running, changing little things here and there to see if I can improve my overall form.

SO much easier to do on a treadmill than outside.

Cover the Screen With a Towel or Shirt

Some people aren’t super into the numbers and timing and intervals and distance and stuff that I obviously enjoy obsessing over while I run. Covering the screen with a towel can actually make the run go by a lot faster!

I’ve done that a few times, mostly when I don’t have a specific goal in mind or when I am too stressed out to think straight.

Podcasts and Audiobooks

This is really just a good running in general tip. If you aren’t in a spot where you want to sit and watch something on a little screen but don’t want to listen to the same boring playlist for the 100th time…

Sarah is a minivan driving, coffee drinking, runDisney running, business owning, Netflix watching, mother of two little girls. She married her big burly husband, Brandon, 8 years ago in a small chapel in Maui. Then she had 2 babies in 2 years – Evelyn and Olivia. She lives way too close to her parents, and her toenails are always painted red.

I usually need music, too…and sometimes don’t let myself look at the screen except in between songs. My ‘mill faces a window, so if it’s dark outside, I basically have a make-shift mirror looking back at me…I try to work on my form as well (why is it so hard to swing my arms straight instead of criss-crossing them over my body?).

These are great ideas. I think I also like the treadmill because I choose to use it. There have only been a handful of times when the weather kept me indoors and I was grateful to still have a way to get my run done.

Patty Holliday

If she isn’t chasing her four kids around Northern Virginia, Patty is chasing four bars on her phone to share her authentic and fun stories on social media and her blog, My No-Guilt Life. She’s also one half of the Marvel Moms, an online community for discussing the Marvel fandom. You can catch up on her runDisney fun at No-Guilt Disney.